Nelumbo plant named ‘Buzeng Jielu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Nelumbo plant named ‘Buzeng Jielu’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; large medium green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and large red purple-colored calathiform flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong and erect peduncles.

Botanical designation: Nelumbo nucifera.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BUZENG JIELU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nelumbo plant, botanically known as Nelumbo nucifera, commonly referred to as Sacred or Indian Lotus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Buzeng Jielu’.

The new Nelumbo plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Nelumbo plants that have attractive and unique flower forms and flower colors.

The new Nelumbo plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2014 of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Ziqi Xilai’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Nelumbo nucifera as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nelumbo plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China in July, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nelumbo plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled environment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China since April, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Nelumbo plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nelumbo have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Buzeng Jielu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Buzeng Jielu’ as a new and distinct Nelumbo plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Large medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large red purple-colored calathiform flowers that are         positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong and erect         peduncles.

Plants of the new Nelumbo differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Ziqi Xilai’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are calathiform whereas         flowers of plants of ‘Ziqi Xilai’ are more bowl-shaped.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have fewer petals and         petaloids than flowers of plants of ‘Ziqi Xilai’.

Plants of the new Nelumbo can be compared to plants of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Xin Duo Mu’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Nelumbo differ primarily from plants of ‘Xin Duo Mu’ in flower shape as flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are calathiform whereas flowers of plants of ‘Xin Duo Mu’ are more bowl-shaped.

Plants of the new Nelumbo can also be compared to plants of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Zhu Luo Hong Yan’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Nelumbo differ primarily from plants of ‘Zhu Luo Hong Yan’ in flower shape as flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are calathiform whereas flowers of plants of ‘Zhu Luo Hong Yan’ are plate-shaped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nelumbo plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nelumbo plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Buzeng Jielu’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Buzeng Jielu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 37-cm by 35-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China and under cultural practices typical of commercial Nelumbo production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 33° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nelumbo nucifera ‘Buzeng Jielu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nelumbo nucifera ‘Ziqi Xilai’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Nelumbo             nucifera, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By rhizome divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three to four days at             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About seven days at             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically white to grey             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Not freely branching, medium density. -   Plant Description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 52             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of floral plane).—About 76             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 140 cm by 110 cm. -   Rhizome description:     -   -   Arrangement and habit.—Sympodial branching habit with about             11 to 16 primary branches developing per plant each with             about 7.8 secondary branches.         -   Length.—About 70 cm to 210 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.2 cm to 4.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 11 cm to 42 cm.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Color.—Close to 165C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Length, fully expanded.—About 18.5 cm to 29 cm.         -   Width, fully expanded.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.         -   Shape.—Peltate, elliptical.         -   Apex.—Retuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent,             papery; slightly glossy.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to N138D; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 41 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 7 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color:             Close to 145A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Double-type calathiform flowers developing             directly from the rhizomes with numerous showy petals and             petaloids; about 16 flower buds and flowers developing per             plant at one time.         -   Time to flower.—In China, plants flower from June to August;             flowering continuous during this period; flowers begin             opening at 05:00 hours in the morning, flowers are fully             opened at about 06:30 hours and are typically closed by             09:00 hours.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to five days on             the plant; flowers last about three days as a cut flower;             flowers persistent; plants maintain good substance for about             45 days.         -   Fragrance.—Initially, very faint and then not detectable.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 cm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 73A.         -   Flowers.—Shape and arrangement: Double-type, calathiform             with numerous showy petals and petaloids. Diameter: About             15 cm. Height: About 10 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 160 arranged in             numerous whorls. Length: About 8.5 cm. Width: About 4.9 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margins:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 58A fading towards the base to close to 63C; at the base,             close to 3D; venation, close to 58D; color becoming closer             to 63D with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 58A fading towards the base to close             to 63C; at the base, close to 3D; venation, close to 58D;             color becoming closer to 63D with development.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 121 arranged in             numerous whorls. Length: About 5.7 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margins:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 58A fading towards the base to close to 63C; at the base,             close to 3D; venation, close to 58D; color becoming closer             to 63D with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 58A fading towards the base to close             to 63C; at the base, close to 3D; venation, close to 58D;             color becoming closer to 63D with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About six in a single             whorl. Length: About 6.7 cm. Width: About 5.1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 63D.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 63C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 62 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 cm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close             to 145C.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: About eight. Filament length:             About 1.7 cm. Filament color: Close to 4C. Anther length:             About 1.2 cm. Anther width: About 7 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 6C. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 6C.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: About 13. Pistil length: About             4.6 cm. Style length: About 2.5 cm. Style color: Close to             6A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded.             Stigma color: Close to 7A. Ovary color: Close to 6A.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per plant: About 18. Length: About 4.3 cm.             Diameter: About 7.8 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 138A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About seven. Length: About             3.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to N200B. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Nelumbo have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Nelumbo plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nelumbo have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about     42° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Nelumbo plant named ‘Buzeng Jielu’ as illustrated and described. 